Hasps for suitcases and like luggage locks



Sept. 16, 1969 E. F. CONSTABLE HASPS FOR SUITCASES AND LIKE LUGGAGELOCKS Filed Nov. 14, 1967 lnvem-oa'.

Ric Fxeoemak COM$TRBL AGQMT United States Patent M 3,467,428 HASPS FORSUITCASES AND LIKE LUGGAGE LOCKS Eric Frederick Constable, Solihull,England, assignor to C. W. Cheney & Son Limited, Birmingham, England, aBritish company Filed Nov. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 682,914 Claims priority,application Great Britain, Dec. 20, 1966, 56,939/ 66 Int. Cl. Eb 15/02U.S, Cl. 292--340 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A luggage haspcomprising a plate with a slot, in which the metal around three sides ofthe slot is inclined to the plane of the plate to provide an open-toppedbox with the slot in its base, to give great strength.

Priort art Known hasps of this kind are made from flat plate, and areapt to be damaged, thus preventing the hasp being closed to theassociated lock body.

This invention relates to hasps, for suitcase and like luggage locks, ofthe kind comprising an apertured plate which is engaged by the lock andsecured relative to the lock when the lock is in a closed position.

Luggage locks provided with locks utilising hasps of the kind referredto are becoming more popular because the hasp is relativelinconspicuous, indeed possibly the whole of the hasp is hidden bylocating it within the suitcase or other article, when the lock isclosed and this enables a streamlined modern appearance to be attained.

Conveniently these hasps are made of sheet metal and almost necessarilythey project clear of the suitcase body or lid when the lid is open, andthis raises the possibility of them becoming bent so that when the lidis closed they will not engage properly with the lock if at all, orpossibly if the suitcase is damaged when the lock is closed the hasp maybe similarly deformed, and it may be impossible to open the suitcaselid.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sronger hasp of thekind referred to.

In accordance with the present invention a hasp of the kind referred tocomprises a metal plate formed with an aperture therein, the plate beingformed around the free edges about the aperture with at least portionsinclined to the plane of the plate.

Typically the plate may be substantially L-shaped with one limb of the Ladapted to be secured to the suitcase body or lid, and the second limbof the L projecting away from the body of the lid and having theaperture formed in and transversely of the extremity of the end of thatlimb.

In this case the metal lying between the aperture and the said extremitymay be disposed at an obtuse angle to the plane of that limb andsimilarly the metal lying at the lateral edges of the limb opposite eachend of the 3,467,428 Patented Sept. 16 1969 aperture may be likewiseinclined at opposite obtuse angles to the plane of the limb.

The deformation of the limb in manufacture makes the plain metalpressing into a substantially box or tray shape which is inherently muchstronger and much less liable to deformation in use.

Preferably the inclined portions at the ends of the slot extend part ofthe way along the said limb.

One preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference tothe accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear perspective view of a hasp;

FIGURE 2 is a front perspective view of the hasp;

FIGURE 3 is a front plan view of the hasp;

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation.

Referring now to the drawings, the hasp is L shaped having one limb 10pierced for fixing e.g. to the case valance, at 11 and 12. The secondlimb 13 is joggled at 14 and has a rectangular slot 15 in andtransversely of its free end.

The extreme marginal edge or tip of limb 13 from the slot edge isinclined upwardly e.g. at to the plane of the limb as at 16 (see FIGURE4) and the lateral edges 17, 18 are similarly inclined; theinclinedportions extend beyond the slot at 20 so that the whole of theend portion of limb 13 is a rigid hollow open-topped and three sided boxof great strength.

Moreover, the inclined faces at the end edges of the hasp assist inaligning the hasp with the lock during closing of the body and lid ofthe suitcase together especially in the event of these being deformed.

I claim:

1. A keeper for a lock element, said keeper comprising a metal platehaving a mounting portion and a substantially rectangular keeper portionconstituting an extension of said mounting portion, said keeper portionhaving a fiat base and an inclined marginal rim extending along threesides of said base whereby the keeper portion has a tray-like form withan open side oriented toward said mounting portion, the base of thekeeper portion being provided with a lock element receiving openingwhich is bordered along three sides thereof by said rim and is disposedwholly within the tray-like form of the keeper portion with end portionsof the rim projecting beyond the opening in the direction of saidmounting portion so that the keeper portion with its opening issubstantially reinforced by the rim.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 981,825 1/1911 Voight 292-2812,096,187 10/1937 Long 292340 FOREIGN PATENTS 700,205 12/1964 Canada.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, AssistantExaminer

